Sophia Amoruso

It’s said that there’s no such thing as failure – so long as there are lessons learned through the experience. Sophia Amoruso might very well agree with that premise. You may know Sophia Amoruso as the 22-year-old founder of Nasty…

Benjamin Zander

Dr. Walter Zander, a German born Jew, earned the Iron Cross for his efforts fighting in World War I (WWI) on behalf of his country. Following the war, he began a legal practice in Berlin, where he lived with his…

Sal Khan

The son of immigrants, Salman ‘Sal’ Khan was born in Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans, Louisiana. His father was from Barasia, Bangladesh – his mother from West Bengal, India. Sal attended Grace King High School, whose diverse student body…

Steelcase

Most cities have nicknames – many of them both famous and obvious. Detroit is the Motor City. Pittsburgh is the Steel City. New Orleans – The Big Easy. Of course, New York is the Big Apple and Las Vegas is…

Fair Oaks Farms

About an hour’s drive south of Chicago, in Northern Indiana, lies one of the most surprisingly popular tourist attractions in America’s heartland. It’s not a theme park, not a sports venue, and it’s not replicated anywhere. This unique attraction is…

Vince Lombardi

Vince Lombardi is considered by many to be one of the best head coaches in the history of the National Football League (NFL) – if not the best, certainly the most well-known. His accomplishments were legendary – literally. He made…

Alina Morse

Peanut butter and jelly mixed together in a squeezable tube so that kids can make their own sandwiches when their parents are too busy. A Dad robot, complete with a full line of accessories – to be sent to work…

Angela Ahrendts

To most, the small storage area under the stairs of the modest home in New Palestine, Indiana was of little importance. But to Angela Ahrendts, it was a refuge – a place where she could find peace and quiet –…

Reshma Saujani

What do you do if you apply to Yale Law School and are rejected? Well, if you really want that education, you apply again. But what if you’re rejected a second time? If you’re Reshma Saujani, you apply a third…

Matthew McConaughey

Alright. Alright. Alright. Those were the first three words Matthew McConaughey spoke on film. The film – Dazed and Confused. The character – David Wooderson. The inspiration – Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors. Today – forty-seven acting awards later…

Elizabeth Duncan Koontz

Some people are the product of their environment, others become successful in spite of it. Elizabeth Duncan Koontz did both. The youngest of seven children, Elizabeth was born on June 3, 1919 in Salisbury, North Carolina. Her parents were both…

Kendra Scott

There’s a great deal of discussion as to what type of impact childhood experiences might have on kids, both in the moment and as they grow into adulthood. In at least one case, a positive and encouraging environment led to…

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey is easily one of the most well-known, respected and admired people of our day – globally. Most would see that as a totally unexpected status for a girl born to an unmarried teenage mother in Kosciusko, Mississippi in…

Frank Sinatra

Legendary singer, actor, and entertainer, Francis Albert ‘Frank’ Sinatra died twenty years ago – May 14, 1998. One of the most prolific singers of all time, he released 69 albums and 297 singles during his recording career. As an actor,…

Shawn Askinosie

Shawn Askinosie spent over twenty years as a criminal defense attorney in Springfield, Missouri. He defended people charged with some of the worst imaginable crimes – including murders, rapes, and other violent felonies. One only had to look at his…

Jumana Abu-Hannoud

Few know better than Jumana Abu-Hannoud how big an impact growing up in a loving, caring, and giving family atmosphere can have on a person. She knows because that’s exactly the environment she enjoyed as a child. For Jumana, who…

Vineyard Vines

“Shep, you need to start thinking more inside the box!” Few, if anyone, would have guessed how much significance there was in that one line from a performance review in 1998. Upon hearing that recommendation, Shep Murray took immediate action.…

Hank Aaron

The U.S. was just beginning to recover from the Great Depression in February, 1934 when Herbert and Estella’s third child, Henry ‘Hank’ Aaron, was born. The Aaron’s lived in a poor, black section of Mobile, Alabama known as “Down by…

Tyler Perry

For the family, the beatings were frequent – many were brutal. The verbal abuse that was equally common left deeper and longer lasting scars than did the physical. Emmitt Perry, Sr., the family patriarch, knew no other way. His wife…

The Go-Giver Influencer

It’s always exciting to welcome a new member to the family – and that’s exactly what’s happening in The Go-Giver family! The newest family member – The Go-Giver Influencer: A Little Story About a Most Persuasive Idea – will make its…

Libby Gill

In the business world it’s rather common to hear about hard-charging, go-getters, striving to climb the corporate ladder. It’s rare, though, to hear about a person who willingly steps off of that ladder. Libby Gill is one such person. After…

Ralph C. Smedley

Born and raised in Waverly, Illinois, Ralph C. Smedley went on to graduate from Illinois Wesleyan University. That was in 1903. Ralph then accepted the position of director of education at the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) in Bloomington, Illinois.…

Sister Nancy Rose Gucwa

Sister Nancy Rose Gucwa made her final monastic profession on August 31, 2013 at the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration monastery in Clyde, Missouri – becoming the first ever West Point Graduate to do so. Take a moment to let…

Steve Sosebee

Steve Sosebee grew up in a small town in northeastern Ohio with his sisters and their parents. His father was a high school teacher – his mother a nurse. Unbeknownst to him, Steve’s life purpose began to be shaped when…

Patagonia

Yvon Chouinard likely had very little awareness of how his life would change when, at the age of 9, his family moved from Maine to Southern California. It was there that Yvon discovered an interest in falconry. In 1953, at…

Madam C. J. Walker

After a lifetime as slaves, Owen and Minerva Breedlove became free people when the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863. Both Owen and Minerva continued to work as sharecroppers, growing and picking cotton in Delta,…

EPIC Bars

Taylor Collins and Katie Forrest have come a long way since their time at Austin High School in Texas where they would occasionally lock eyes. It wasn’t until they were both enrolled at Texas State University in San Marcos that…

Dick Clark

Richard ‘Dick’ Wagstaff Clark was born on November 30, 1929 in Mount Vernon, New York. He was the second son, and last child, of Richard and Julia Clark. Dick new from a very early age that he wanted to pursue…

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Merriam-Webster defines a miracle as “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.” It’s a word that seems to get used often – especially around Christmas. Movies and books have been titled “Christmas Miracle”. The term is often used…

Chelsea Krost

Millennials are entitled, lazy, unreliable, narcissistic, disloyal, technology addicted, unmanageable and simply put, the worst generation in history. If you believe all of – or most of – those descriptors, consider this: You’re likely a victim of the Millennial Myth,…

Nicole Sahin

Geographically speaking, it’s not that far from St. Louis, MO to Guatemala – about 1650 miles (2660 km) as the crow flies. Culturally speaking, the distance between Maryville University and Guatemala’s northern highlands spans centuries. For Nicole, the distance wasn’t…

Heineken

Today’s craft beer industry, which has flourished in the U.S. for decades, is seen by some as an innovative approach to the beer business. In reality, today’s passion for craft beer is merely a reflection of the past. The first…

Brandon T. Webb

To say that Brandon had an unorthodox childhood would certainly be accurate. He was wailing his lungs out from the instant he was born, which was on June 12, 1974. It seemed as though he screamed for the better part…

Dr. Mary-Claire King

Mary-Claire was born on February 27, 1946 to Harvey and Clarice King in Evanston, Illinois – a city just north of Chicago. She, younger brother Paul, a stepsister and a stepbrother all had a relatively average childhood. The most traumatic…

David Muir

As a high school senior, David chose to interview one of his teachers for his Public Speaking class project. The teacher, who’d recently fallen while horseback riding, was explaining that her injuries resulted in surgery to remove her spleen. Not…

Whitney Wolfe

The daughter of a property manager and a stay-at-home mom, Whitney Wolfe enjoyed a happy, quiet childhood, growing up in Salt Lake City, Utah. When it was time for university, Whitney chose to attend Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas, where…

Ingrid Newkirk

Ingrid spent the early years of her life in Great Britain – specifically, in the Orkney Islands and in Ware, Hertfordshire. When she was seven years of age, her family moved to New Delhi, India. The year was 1956 – eight…

Kat Cole

What would you do if you were in charge of sales and distribution and suddenly supply dried up because of a labor issue? That’s essentially the situation that Kat Cole faced when working as a Hooter’s server, when the kitchen crew…

Willie Nelson

When looking for the definition of a fearless brand, one need look no further than American icon, Willie Nelson, one of the most recognizable faces, voices, and talents in all of music. There are thousands of performers in the music…

Dalai Lama

A critical element of a fearless brand is having clarity of purpose. For many, our purpose comes clear later in life – for others, it occurs at a relatively early age. That said, it’s almost inconceivable that someone could know…

Kenneth Frazier

Many people live in what are considered ‘tough’ neighborhoods – communities which are typically afflicted with poverty, unemployment, crime, and drugs. What can often be overlooked is that most of these areas also include highly-motivated, hard-working and law-abiding citizens. North Philly…

Harvard University

Having spent the majority of my professional life working in the field of marketing – specifically branding – I can say this without hesitation…the terms “brand” and “branding” are consistently misused, overused or completely misunderstood. This fact is one of…

Dr. Hayat Sindi

Dreams. We all have them. Some are discarded as wishful thinking. Others are wrecked by a litany of roadblocks- some real, many perceived. Then there are dreams that explode into reality – crashing through all obstacles – in spite of…

Peter Dinklage

At the early age of six, Peter discovered his love of performing. He and his older brother would put on shows in the basement of their parents’ home in Morristown, New Jersey. Their audience consisted of elderly neighbors happy to…

Iris Apfel

When Iris was 11 years old, she would explore Manhattan, developing a particular liking for Greenwich Village. In those days – it was 1932 – not only could one travel all around the city for five cents, it was safe…

Michael Dobbs-Higginson

Michael spent his youth exploring the bush country of Rhodesia – modern day Zimbabwe. He would spend days running barefoot, with his fox terrier, Toki, under the watchful eye of Twalika, one of the family’s cattle herders. Indeed, watchful eyes were…

Sallie Krawcheck

Leonard Krawcheck was attending law school at Tulane University in New Orleans when he and his wife welcomed their daughter, Sallie, into the family. After he graduated, the family moved to Charleston, South Carolina. There, they enjoyed a comfortable life…

Netflix

It’s said that necessity is the mother of invention. Perhaps so. Innovation, on the other hand, is born of any number of causes. Some would say the leading cause of innovation is vision. Others say it’s creativity. Many attribute innovations…

Vernice 'FlyGirl' Armour

Vernice Armour knew at a young age that she wanted to become a police officer. More specifically, she wanted to join the mounted police, patrolling on horseback. Childhood dreams are magical – creating excitement and hope. They are also mysterious…

Doc McStuffins

Chris Nee grew up loving animated television show – think cartoons. That attraction was strong enough to create thoughts of a career in that discipline. It’s a gift for a person to discover their passion, but having the talent necessary…

Paul Polman

Paul is the second of six children, born and raised in Enschede, Netherlands – a town near the German-Dutch border. His parents had lived through the ravages of the Second World War and a by-product of that experience was the…

Mary Barra

Some people, so it seems, are born to follow a specific path – to fulfill a purpose. Mary Makela may just be such a person. She was born into a hard-working blue-collar family in Waterford, Michigan on Christmas Eve 1961.…

James Corden

The most successful people are the ones who have found their purpose in life. For some, this takes a virtual lifetime. Others discover their purpose very early in life. Such was the case for James. At the age of four, he…

Daivd K. Williams

David has been a real “go-getter” his entire life. Like many before him, he discovered his entrepreneurial spirit by working a newspaper route as a young boy. After earning a Business Management degree (with an emphasis on Marketing) in 1984,…

Mayim Bialik

When Barry and Beverly married, they were the first of their families to be born in the U.S. – their parents having emigrated from Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary. The family’s combined heritage, closeness and religious beliefs would all have a big impact…

J. K. Rowling

Pete and Anne were both 18 when they met while on a train heading to Arbroath, Scotland from King’s Cross Station in London. It was 1964. That six-hour trip would result in a lifetime together. Within a year, the couple…

S. Truett Cathy

Samuel was born March 14, 1921 in Eatonton, Georgia. He was the sixth of what soon would total seven children for Joseph and Lilla. Though Samuel was his given name, he was called by his middle name – Truett. When…

Bombas

David Heath holds a Bachelor of Arts from Babson College with majors in Marketing, Management, and Entrepreneurship. Randy Goldberg earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Finance – both from Georgetown University. The two met…

Kristen Hadeed

Kristen was born in Gainesville, Florida on February 26, 1988. Her family moved to Flagler Beach, Florida when she was two. She eventually returned to Gainesville where she attended the University of Florida. Fashion is an important for element in…

John Ruhlin

Growing up on a farm can teach invaluable lessons. John learned this was true while living on his 50-acre family farm outside of Canton, Ohio. One of five children, his step-father worked treating waste water while his mother worked full-time…

Brittany Merrill Underwood

Brittany grew up in Atlanta, Georgia in what most would consider an upper-middle class home. She enjoyed a relatively typical childhood – not one of privilege – but not wanting for much. She completed high school at a noted boarding…

Richard Branson

Richard was the first born of Edward and Eve Branson – born on July 18, 1950 in Blackheath, London. His father was a barrister, having followed his father, a judge at the High Court of Justice, into the legal realm.…

Ray-Ban

Airplane pilots have countless details to be aware of and pay attention to – as well as any number of distractions. One such challenge is fighting the bright blue sky and puffy white clouds over a period of time. What…

Ursula Burns

Born in 1958, Ursula grew up in a housing project at the intersection of Baruch Dr. and Delancey St. on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. She and two siblings were raised by her single mother, a Panamanian immigrant. It was a…

Walter Cronkite

Walter Jr. – the only child of Walter, a dentist, and Helen, a homemaker – was born on November 4, 1916, in Saint Joseph, Missouri. That’s where the family lived until moving to Houston, Texas when Walter was 10-years-old. Walter…

Joe Girard

It’s hard to say what type of adult a child will become based solely on the behavior and parenting styles of their parents. Joe’s father was often angry and bitter – constantly berating his son, telling him that he wasn’t…

Mel Brooks

James and Kate Kaminsky – he a German Jew via Poland, she a Russian Jew from modern day Ukraine – had immigrated to Brooklyn, New York. They had four sons. The youngest, Melvin was born on June 28, 1926. Soon after…

Isabella Springmühl

Guatemala is, in many ways, the hidden gem of Central America – sandwiched between Mexico to the north, Honduras and El Salvador to the south and Belize to the east. The Guatemalan people are friendly and hard-working. The country has a…

Zaha Hadid

Zaha was born on October 31, 1950 in Baghdad, Iraq. Her family was upper-class and well-educated. Her mother was an artist – her father, a successful industrialist. He was also politically active, co-founding the liberal National Democratic Party. Her family…

Joe Buck

Avid baseball fans dream of going to their favorite Major League team’s spring training. Very few of them are born there. That is literally Joe’s story. He was born on April 25, 1969 in St. Petersburg, Florida – the spring training…

Larry Brilliant, MD, MPH

There are some stories which appear to be so outside of the realm of reality that they are assumed to be a Hollywood movie script. Then there are stories that are so incredible that not even the creative minds that…

Harry's Shave Club

Andy Katz-Mayfield earned an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2011. Jeff Raider graduated from the Wharton School of Business in 2010. They first met as interns at Bain and Company – the beginning of a very…

Sears

America in 1886 had a population of only 58 million people, nearly two-thirds of whom lived in rural areas of the then 38 states. Richard Sears lived in North Redwood, Minnesota where he worked as a station agent for the…

Maggie Doyne

Maggie and her two sisters, Kate and Libby, grew up in Mendham Borough, New Jersey. Nancy, their mother worked in real estate – their father, Steve, was a stay-at-home dad. After graduating from West Morris Mendham High School, Maggie embarked…

Many people, including myself, begin their year with the three words – Happy New Year. That phrase is a wonderful greeting and a terrific wish for ourselves and others – but it won’t sustain us through the year. Another set of…

George Carlin

George was born in New York on May 12, 1937 – the second son of Patrick and Mary. When George was just two months old, his parents divorced, leaving George and his brother Pat to be raised by Mary, now…

Endeavor

Peter Kellner’s father was a Hungarian immigrant whose family consisted of a long line of entrepreneurs. His mother’s family had settled in Massachusetts in 1635. After he graduated from Princeton University, Peter traveled to Hungary on a Fulbright Scholarship. There…

Ingrid Vanderveldt

Ingrid, born in Bethesda, Maryland in 1970, was one of four children. Her father worked in technology, having earned a PhD in Electrical Engineering – her mother had a Master’s in business. It came as a surprise to her parents…

Muhammad Ali

Often seemingly small, insignificant actions can have major impact – sometimes they can even affect the entire world. One such instance occurred in Louisville, Kentucky in 1954. Someone stole a twelve-year-old boy’s bicycle. No one knows who it was –…

Shinola Detroit

The Shinola Company, founded in 1907 in Rochester, New York – manufactured shoe polish. While the product itself wasn’t necessarily innovative – its packaging was. The round tin the polish came in featured an attached ‘key’ which, when turned vertically,…

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Death was a distinct possibility for Elisabeth from her very first breath. Born in Switzerland in July of 1926, she was the oldest of three sisters. The triplets were born minutes apart from each other and each girl weighed only…

Gold's Gym

The Santa Monica pier is an iconic attraction on the Pacific Island shore in Southern California, due west of Los Angeles. There are shops, restaurants, rides and terrific people watching. In the 1950’s, the pier became a place where ‘muscle…

Simon Sinek

It’s hard to tell how one’s childhood experiences will impact their life. By example, some children whose families move a lot during their childhood feel enriched by the experience. Others feel a sense of detachment, of not having roots. Simon…

Coach Dan Gable

Danny was born on October 25, 1948 in Waterloo, Iowa. His father, Mack, was a real estate salesman – his mother, Katie, was a homemaker. The family lived a modest, yet very satisfying lifestyle. For his part, Danny put a…

John Lee Dumas

Maine is a beautiful state – by all accounts it’s a great place to grow up. That’s where John was born and spent the first 18 years of his life. He then moved to Rhode Island, where he attended Providence…

In-N-Out Burgers

Two hamburger restaurants opened in 1948 within 45 miles of each other in the Greater Los Angeles area. Both were family-owned and operated, one by two brothers, the other by a husband and wife team – Harry and Esther. The…

Dr. Tom Hill

Tom was born on his family’s farm about 20 minutes outside of Kirksville, a small town in north central Missouri. It was 1935 – the world was a much simpler time and being raised on a turkey farm was even…

Chances are in the last few days you’ve seen more coverage of Colin Kaepernick, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, than you expected or cared to. This post isn’t focused on the individual, his action or his cause. Rather, it’s…

Airbnb

Each year, at every university in the world, students meet for the first time. It’s very common that people with like-minded ideas and thinking gravitate towards each other. Often, they discuss dreams and visions for their futures – some seem…

Dame Stephanie 'Steve' Shirley

Refugees, in order to survive, have been forced to flee their countries throughout history. Such was the case with five year old Stephanie and her 9 year old sister who fled Nazi Germany in 1938. Born of a Jewish father, their…

Olympic Spirit

Legend has it that the Olympics were founded by Hercules and Alcmene – he the son of Zeus, she a ‘mere mortal’. That story has the competition occurring every four years as part of a festival to honor Zeus. The…

Alcoholics Anonymous

Bob Smith was born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont in 1879. Bill Wilson was born sixteen years later on November 26, less than 100 miles away, in East Dorset, Vermont. That distance, their difference in age and each pursuing different career paths…

Ben Franklin

Josiah Franklin, a soap and candle maker in Boston, was married twice. Between his two wives he sired seventeen children – seven by his first wife, Anne and ten with his second wife, Abiah. Ben, his tenth (and youngest) son…

TABASCO

During America’s Civil War, Louisiana was a part of the Confederate States of America, known simply as the Confederacy. It came as no surprise then that Union General Nathaniel Banks led a force from the Gulf of Mexico up Bayou…

Jim 'Jimmy V' Valvano

Rocco and Angelina lived in Queens, New York where they raised their three sons, Nick, Jim and Bob. They were a loving Italian family, never hesitant to hug and kiss each other – the words “I love you” flowing freely.…

Liv Boeree

Known as the Garden of England, Kent is a county known for its gentle hills and sea lined borders. It touches Greater London to the North as it is located in the South East of England. It is famous for…

Hershey's

It was 1871 when 14 year old Milton accidentally dropped his hat into a machine at the print shop where he apprenticed. He was fired. With his mother’s guidance, he was hired as an apprentice for a Lancaster County, Pennsylvania confectioner…

Vani Hari - The Food Babe

Her parents immigrated to the United States from Punjab, India – settling in North Carolina. Vani was born in Charlotte on March 22, 1979. Her childhood was as normal as every other kid growing up in America in the 1980’s. That…

Tom Hanks

Tom was born in Concord, California on July 9, 1956. His parents were Amos and Janet – he a cook and restaurant manager, she a hospital worker. They divorced when Tom was five, one of those experiences that can affect…

Blog

Many people, including myself, begin their year with the three words – Happy New Year. That phrase is a wonderful greeting and a terrific wish for ourselves and others – but it won’t sustain us through the year. Another set of three words often used is – New Year’s resolutions or... Read more →